Description
Louis M Martini is one of the oldest vineyards in Napa, with it's roots going all the way back to 1906, when the Martini Wine Company was founded. The young Louis learned his trade in the great vineyards of northern Italy, sent back by his father to learnj the trade. Then in Napa, they planted their first vineyards in 1933, and built their own winery in St Helena. By 1943 they were prominent enough to be a founder of the Louis M. helps to establish the Napa Valley Vintners Association, despite that their already-noted Monte Rosso Vineyard lay outside of Napa!
Since then they have grown, sponsoring and planting superb high-altitude vineyards across Napa and Sonoma. Now owned by Gallo, they have become one of the mainstays of their super-highend portfolio, specialising in big, robust Cabernets. With some fearsomely collectible productions and vintages in their portfolio, it's a joy to see a brand which also produces wine which is delicious at all price-points.
"Produced from purchased fruit, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain comes across as a bit smoky, with scents of scorched pencil shavings accenting plummy, blueberry fruit. Full-bodied, rich and supple across the mid-palate, the wine then turns juicy and crisp on the finish, with a flourish of dusty tannins. Give it a few years." 94+ Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate, 2025-2045